A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most
acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense, and
generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila, who represent the story of a nation and the nature of friendship.

The story begins in
the 1950s in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples.
Growing up on these tough streets, the two girls learn to rely on each other
ahead of anyone or anything else. As they grow—and as their paths repeatedly
diverge and converge—Elena and Lila remain best friends whose respective
destinies are reflected and refracted in the other. They are likewise the
embodiments of a nation undergoing momentous change. Through the lives of these
two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city, and a country as
it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship
between her protagonists.

With My Brilliant Friend,
the first in a series, Ferrante proves herself to be one of Italy’s greatest storytellers. She has given her readers a masterfully plotted page-turner,
abundant and generous in its narrative details and characterizations—a stylish work of literary fiction destined to delight her many fans and
win new readers to her work.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“Hillary Huber’s subtly shaded performance couldn’t be better as she reveals the complexities that separate and connect the two women…Ferrante’s dense, rich prose provides the perfect palette for Huber’s artistry. Huber’s delivery of this well-plotted, absorbing story of friendship will leave listeners wanting more.” —AudioFile

“One of the more nuanced portraits of feminine friendship in recent
memory.” —Vogue

“An intoxicatingly furious portrait of enmeshed friends Lila and Elena…Ferrante writes with such aggression and unnerving psychological insight about the messy complexity of female friendship that the real world can drop away when you’re reading her.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Ferrante’s freshness has nothing to do with fashion…it is imbued with the most haunting music of all, the echoes of literary history.” —New York Times Book Review

“This gorgeous novel should bring a host of new readers to one of
Italy’s most acclaimed authors.” —Barnes&Noble.com

“A compelling and
moving coming-of-age story set in an impoverished neighborhood struggling to
come into its own in a rapidly shrinking world. Celebrated Italian author
Ferrante’s unflinching and insightful prose…is captivating and hopeful here and
will have readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.” —Booklist (starred review)

“It is Lila
and her dreams and caprices that drive everything…Lila, mercurial, unsparing, and…seemingly capable of
starting a full-scale neighborhood war, is a memorable character.” —Publishers Weekly

“What is most essential to the story is what is most essential in all our stories: love, loss, sex, marriage, children, friendship, family, dreams, and everything in between…Ferrante is as fearless a writer as they come. She does not use politics as a crutch to bring depth to her novels but rather trusts in her characters to be good enough and important enough all on their own.” —Literary Hub

Reviews

Reviews

Author

Author Bio: Elena Ferrante

Elena Ferrante, author of The Days of Abandonment, Troubling Love, and My Brilliant Friend, among others, is one of Italy’s most important and acclaimed contemporary writers. She was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2016 by Time.

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